Referee Scott Foster explains why he ejected Chris Paul / News - Basketnews.com

Foster said Paul received both of his technical fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct. The player complained after a foul call on him and ultimately got ejected for it in another iteration of a silent conflict between them.

Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix

Golden State Warriors veteran guard Chris Paul was ejected by referee Scott Foster during the game against the Phoenix Suns after yet another iteration of a silent conflict between them. Foster later explained why he did it.

Player of the Game EFF 29 Kevin Durant Points 32 Accuracy 7-14 Rebounds 8 Assists 2

Paul was called with a foul against Kevin Durant by Foster with 23.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter.Moments later, Paul got hit with a technical foul. Unhappy with the punishment, the veteran guard kept going at the referee and quickly received his second tech. Subsequently, he was ejected from the game.

After the call, Paul kept going at Foster and had to be held back by Stephen Curry so as not to incite a bigger conflict. Asked about the episode after the game, Foster provided his version of the events in the NBA's Pool Report.

- What was Chris Paul upset about that led to the initial discussion?- The foul called against him at 23.5.

- Why was Chris Paul assessed the first technical foul?- For unsportsmanlike conduct.

- How did Chris Paul escalate the situation to be given a second technical foul, leading to his ejection from the game?- He continued to complain and received a second unsportsmanlike technical foul.

Paul has been a long-time critic of Foster. His animosity toward the referee started in 2018. "Scott Foster, man. I never really talk about officiating or anything like that, but just rude and arrogant," the player said about the official after a regular season game that year. "Scott Foster at his finest. Never fails," he told the media in the locker room.

In 2019, James Harden, Paul's teammate at the time, said that it was personal between Paul and Foster.

Paul has been on the losing end of games officiated by Foster for numerous years. Before he broke the streak last season, Paul had lost 13 straight playoff games in which Foster was one of the referees.

After a playoff game against the Houston Rockets in 2020, Paul openly criticized Foster for his behavior after receiving a delay of game call during the last seconds of the match when Paul wanted to challenge a controversial decision to cancel a called foul before giving a timeout to the Rockets.

Paul has mentioned he's addressed the matter with the league and even had meetings, but to no avail.

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